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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

Economic Circular No. 18 :::::::::: : Issued August 26, 1915 

OYSTERS: THE FOOD THAT HAS NOT "GONE UP."* 
A Little of Their History and How to Cook Them. 



An animal food which practically has not increased in cost for 25 
years, and the production of which has kept pace with the growth of 
population, is a present-day anomaly worthy of public attention; 
especially when its price brings it within the reach of all and its ex- 
cellence leaves little to be desired. This is the case of the oyster, 
probably the only food animal which has not shared in the general 
increase in the cost of commodities. It is not possible to compare 
retail prices with accuracy; but between 1900 and 1915 the whole- 
sale quotations of canned and fresh oysters in New York were either 
practically stationary or in the extreme did not increase over 10 
per cent, and recently the oysterman and the oyster grower have 
received actually a slightly lower price than they did 25 years ago. 
This occurred notwithstanding that the average quality of oysters has 
improved during that time as a result of oyster culture and in the 
face of a great increase in the cost of the "fancy " oysters, listed by 
name on menus and consumed by the luxurious few. The oyster of 
the multitude is better than ever and about as cheap. Compare these 
facts with the 25 to 75 per cent increase in the cost of eggs, poultry, 
and meats. 

In Europe the oyster is, and long has been, a luxury enjoyed by the 
few. When the first settlers came to the shores of America, one of 
the most impressive indications of the richness of the new land was 
the great abundance, large size, and excellence of the oysters which 
they found. Under these conditions, and at a time when the infant 
communities necessarily were dependent in a great measure on natu- 
ral products for food, this readily obtainable and delicious shellfish 
came into common use as an important element of their diet. Even 
before the white men came, the Indians of the coast subsisted largely 
on oysters, and, it is said, used them in a dried and smoked state, 
strung on twigs, as an article of barter with their inland neighbors. 
At many places great mounds of shells deposited in prehistoric 

a By H. F. Moore, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Fisheries. 
4677°— 15 



Monograph 



2 -^i^ 

times tell of the free use which the red man made of oysters, and on 
the Damariscotta River in Maine, where none are now found, there is 
a mound containing about 7,000,000 bushels of shells. 

The early white settlers, like the Indians, relied on the supposedly 
inexhaustible natural beds; but in the older and more densely popu- 
lated parts of the country, particularly on the New England coast, 
where the natural beds were less extensive than farther south, the 
almost universal use of this popular shellfish by the coastal popula- 
tion showed many years ago that nature, in many cases wantonly 
abused by wasteful methods, could not keep up the supply unaided. 
It was obvious that lest the supply should fail, at least locally, man 
himself must lend a hand much as he had in raising land crops. 

The oyster, as most persons know it, is as immobile as the turnip 
and like that stolid vegetable is attached to the soil, although not by 
roots; but in its infancy it swims freely, though feebly, and before it 
settles down may wander far from the parental locality. The embryo 
oyster, which forms after the egg is discharged into the water by the 
mother, is so small as to be just visible to the unaided human eye. 
This embryo soon becomes covered with microscopic fleshy bristles, 
which, beating in unison, give it some power of locomotion, though 
they are serviceable chiefly in suspending it in the water and bring- 
ing it within reach of the tidal currents which waft it afar. 

After a brief career of travel a tiny shell begins to form, and as the 
burden of this increases a change of habit comes. The little oyster 
must attach itself to a support and settle down to the sedentary life 
of the adult, and this necessity brings one of the gravest crises of 
its life. It is hardly visible without a lens and the thinnest film of 
sediment will cover and stifle it, and most of the bottom over which 
it has been swimming is muddy. Only oyster beds, gravel and 
shells, piling, and similar bodies in the water present a surface suffi- 
ciently firm and clean to serve the little oyster's purpose. The more 
fortunate ones cement their shells to such objects, grow, and hence- 
forth remain where they fell unless displaced by some external force; 
but for each one which becomes so attached there are unknown 
myriads which fall on unsuitable surfaces and perish. This is one 
reason why it is necessary for the female oyster to produce millions 
of eggs that her kind shall not disappear from the waters. 

The men who first undertook oyster culture in America did not 
know these things, nor many other interesting facts of the oytser's 
life; but they had observed that almost any hard-surfaced objects 
falling into the water, if they did not become engulfed in the mud, 
became coated with a growth of oysters, and they reasoned that such 
materials purposely placed on barren bottoms would establish arti- 
ficial oyster beds and that to the man who made the deposit belonged 
the oysters. 

.-• EP 1 



Thus began, through the initiative of the oystermen themselves, 
the practice of oyster culture in the United States, which has de- 
T, veloped until at the present time about one-half of the oysters pro- 
duced in the country, and nearly two-thirds of the total value of 
this product, are derived from artificial beds, privately owned or leased 
from the States. 

Beginning in shoal waters alongshore, the oyster growers have ex- 
tended their operations into the deep open waters of Long Island 
Sound and Chesapeake Bay and to every coastwise State from 
Massachusetts to Texas and from Washington to California, and the 
few small boats first employed, propelled by sails or oars, have 
given place to fleets of motor boats and steamers. In 1911 planters 
spread 17,000,000 bushels of young oysters, shells, and gravel over 
their 500,000 acres of oyster farms; and they harvested a crop of 
over 15,000,000 bushels of oysters, worth to them approximately 
$10,000,000. 

Between the planting and the harvest, an interval from two to 
five years, the oyster culturist assumes many hazards. On the New 
England coast, after all his material is down, the fickle "set" may 
not appear, possibly because at the critical time some weather dis- 
turbance may have killed the baby oysters while they were yet 
swimming near the surface. In the Gulf of Mexico the "set" may 
be so heavy that there is scant room for the oysters to grow, and many 
die while those that are left are half starved and misshapen from 
crowding. Even when the little oysters or "spat" have attached 
themselves in favorable numbers, their perils have just begun. 
They are never safe from other enemies until they fall into the hands 
of their arch foe, man. Schools of drumfish may grind them into 
fragments between teeth arranged like a cobblestone pavement, 
and so the oyster grower's crop may melt away, almost in a night. 
Starfish often appear in great hosts and by the muscular force of their 
arms furnished with rows of suckers, rend open the shells and turning 
their own stomachs inside out absorb the oyster while it still lies 
within the armor designed to protect it. The drill, a little marine 
snail, uses its rough tongue like a rasp and, boring a smooth round 
hole through the helpless oyster's shell, inserts its snout and licks 
up the delicious meat within. 

Freshets from the land and storms rolling in from the sea take 
their toll — the one by rendering the water too fresh or too muddy 
and the other by the force of the waves tearing up both oysters 
and the bottom. Even with their own species these mollusks have 
to contend, and numbers uncountable die in the warfare. They 
struggle with their kind as man struggles with man, for room to 
grow and enough to eat; and though the struggle is passive it is 



relentless, and the loser, unable to run away, is starved or stifled 
through laek of room in which to open its shell for food and oxygen. 

The oyster feeds on small particles suspended in the water, con- 
spicuous among which by reason of their beauty under the micro- 
scope are minute plants, called diatoms, covered with ornately 
sculptured transparent shells of quartz. These and the other food 
particles are carried by the currents, dropping to the bottom in 
a gentle drizzle and eventually accumulating in considerable de- 
posits. Each oyster has part of its surfaces covered by innumerable 
microscopic, vibrating, fleshy bristles, each feeble in itself, but, 
beating in unison, producing currents strong enough to carry the 
food particles into the gaping shell, where the water passes through 
the gills, which are beautifully constructed delicate sieves, and thence 
again to the outside, while the food strained from it passes in a 
constant stream into the mouth. So industrious is the oyster and 
so scattered is its food that to get its daily meal it niters between 
25 and 35 quarts of water, making useful to man a wealth of micro- 
scopic material which otherwise would be lost. The waste of the 
soils, washed by rains and carried into the sea, comes back, indi- 
rectly, through the marine plants that are nourished by the fer- 
tilizing salts and fed on by the oyster. 

If food be abundant and the beds not too crowded, the oyster 
becomes fat, luscious, and tender. In this condition it is one of the 
most inviting of foods and one of the most digestible, nutritious, and 
wholesome, and its composition is of such character as to make it 
more nearly than most foods self-sufficient as a diet. In this respect 
it resembles milk and needs but the ordinary ingredients used in 
cooking — starches and fats — to give it " balance." It is remarkable 
among ordinary food substances in its high proportion of glycogen, 
a substance resembling starch but more readily and easily assimi- 
lated, and, unlike starch, wholly digestible even when uncooked. 

With all of its manifold merits, it never has come fully into its own, 
partly because until recently the people of the interior have not been 
able to get it at its best, but largely because it has been the victim 
of prejudice. Eaten raw, the oyster, like most other uncooked foods, 
may carry disease if taken from polluted surroundings. A few such 
cases have been given great prominence, and to a considerable extent 
tthe oyster has fallen in public esteem; but though this has unneces- 
sarily deterred many persons from using an excellent food, it has not 
been without good result. The United States and many State and 
municipal governments have awakened to the advisability of super- 
vision and inspection, and there is now exercised a close scrutiny of 
the sources of oysters which are brought to market or shipped from 
State to State and of the methods of handling and transporting 
them. It Can be said that oysters to-day are more sanitary and better 



than ever and that there is, at least, as sufficient a guaranty of their 
wholesomeness as there is of milk, strawberries, lettuce, celery, and 
other foods not usually cooked for consumption. If the oysters be 
cooked, there is a double guaranty. 

In other countries oysters are nearly always eaten raw, and even 
in this country the finest are usually consumed in this way as a minor 
course at meals; but the distinguishing feature of their consumption 
in the United States is that they are generally cooked and constitute 
an important part, if not the whole, of the meal at which they are 
served. Under these circumstances manifold methods of cooking 
them have been evolved, and a number of these are presented in the 
pages following. 

RECIPES. 

OYSTER COCKTAILS, ETC. 

1. Sauce for raw oysters. — Take one dessertspoonful of Tarragon vinegar, one table- 
spoonful olive oil, one-half teaspoonful Worcestershire sauce, the juice of half a lemon, 
and one-half teaspoonful Tabasco sauce. Add a little salt and half an onion, grated 
fine. 

2. Oyster cocktail. — For each glass, take six small oysters, two teaspoonfuls lemon 
juice, one teaspoonful Worcestershire sauce, two tablespoonfuls tomato catsup, a dash 
of Tabasco sauce, a pinch of salt, and a little sugar. Serve ice cold. 

3. Oyster cocktail. — Have oysters very cold. Put not more than six in each cocktail 
glass or sherbet cup, and just before sending to the table, cover with a dressing made 
in the following way: Mix together one tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, one table- 
spoonful of tomato catsup, one tablespoonful of strained lemon juice, five drops of 
Tabasco sauce, and salt to taste. This quantity will make three cocktails. Serve 
thin slices of brown bread and celery with the cocktails. 

SOUPS, CHOWDERS, ETC. 

4. Oyster soup. — Take one quart oysters. Put in a saucepan one quart of milk and 
one pint of water with salt, pepper, and mace. Add a tablespoonful of butter and 
put on the stove. When it comes to a boil, add the oysters and let the whole simmer 
five minutes. Thicken with cracker crumbs. 

5. Oyster chowder. — Chop 50 good sized oysters. Prepare one cupful of finely 
chopped celery and two cupfuls of cold boiled rice. Put a layer of celery in the 
bottom of the saucepan, then a layer of rice and a layer of oysters. Season with 
salt and pepper. Repeat these layers until all the materials are used. Pour over 
one cupful of boiling water. Cook slowly for 25 minutes. Beat up the yolks of two 
eggs, with one cupful of milk; add this to the chowder; stir carefully for a few minutes 
and serve hot. 

6. Oyster gumbo. — Singe, clean, and cut as for a fricassee one chicken; put it in 
baking pan; add one thinly sliced onion, one cupful water, and bake until very tender. 
Wash and cut in thin slices a quart of young okra; put it in saucepan; add two cupfuls 
water and cook slowly for one-half hour. Lift the chicken to soup kettle; add quart 
of chicken stock or boiling water, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add one quart 
oysters to okra, one rounding teaspoonful salt, one level saltspoonful red pepper, and 
cook for five minutes, and send at once to table. 

7. Chicken and oysters a la metropole. — Melt four tablespoonfuls of butter, add four 
tablespoonfuls of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and one-eighth of a teaspoonful of 



pepper, and stir until well blended; then pour on gradually, while stirring constantly, 
one and three-fourths cupfuls of milk. Bring to the boiling point and add two eup- 
fuls of cold boiled fowl cut in dice and one pint of oysters boiled until plump. Serve 
on zephyrettes and sprinkle with one-half cupful of finely chopped celery. 

STEWED, CREAMED, NEWBURG, ETC. 

8. Stewed oysters. — Take one quart oysters. Put into saucepan with one pint water, 
salt and pepper, and a tablespoonful of rolled cracker crumbs. Let it come to a boil, 
and pour in the oysters. Allow the oysters to boil 30 seconds, not an instant more. 
Remove from fire and pour into dish containing one-half pint of milk. Serve. Never 
allow the oysters- to cook in the milk. 

9. Stewed oysters. — Take one pint milk, add salt, pepper, and a good size piece of 
butter. Let come to a boil. Then add one pint oysters and let boil a few seconds 
until oysters are plump and well ruffled. 

10. Maryland stew. — Take one quart oysters. Put one pint water in a saucepan 
and let it simmer, then rub the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs and one spoonful of 
flour together and stir in. Put in also one-fourth pound butter in small pieces, one- 
half teaspoonful whole allspice, the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper. Let it simmer 
10 minutes, then add the oysters and serve immediately. 

11. Creamed oysters. — Scald one pint oysters in one pint boiling water, then drain. 
Put the water in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls butter, a little mace, two bay 
leaves, and salt and pepper. Let it come to a boil and add a tablespoonful of cracker 
crumbs, one-half pint cream, one gill of sherry. Let it come to a boil and add the 
oysters, then cook two minutes more. Serve on toast. 

12. Oysters in cream. — Take 24 oysters, put them into a saucepan, add the strained 
juice of one lemon, two tablespoonfuls of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and bring 
to boiling point. Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter; add two teaspoonfuls of flour, 
one cupful of white stock, a teaspoonful of mushroom catsup, and cook for five min- 
utes, stirring all the time. Blend the yolks of two eggs with half a cupful of cream, 
add to the sauce and pour over the oysters. 

13. Sherried oysters. — Take one pint oysters, add one-half pint water and a pinch of 
salt, and boil five minutes. Drain and put in saucepan and pour over them a gill 
of sherry. Season with salt and cayenne and cook three minutes, then add one gill 
of cream and let cook six minutes longer. Mix in a cup the yolks of two eggs and 
two tablespoonfuls of brandy and cream and pour over the oysters. Let the whole 
simmer for three minutes, stirring gently. Serve on toast and garnish with parsley. 

14. Oysters a, la Newburg. — Melt one tablespoonful butter in chafing dish and stir 
in one-half tablespoonful flour. When these are blended add gradually one cup 
cream and beat smooth and glossy. Then add one quart oysters, previously drained 
and cut into quarters. When heated through add one teaspoonful salt, one-fourth 
teaspoonful cayenne, 2 tablespoonfuls sherry, stir well, and then add beaten yolks of 
two eggs. Serve at once from chafing dish. 

15. Fricasseed oysters. — Take one pint oysters, boil in one-half pint water, and 
drain, saving the water. Melt a tablespoonful butter in a saucepan and rub in two 
tablespoonfuls flour. Pour in the oyster water and a gill of milk and beat smooth. 
Season with salt and pepper, then beat a little lemon juice and the yolk of an egg 
together and pour in. Allow the whole to simmer one minute. Pour over the 
oysters, which may be placed on thin slices of toast. 

16. Curried oysters. — Scald in one pint water and drain one quart of oysters, dry 
thoroughly and set aside in a shallow dish. Mix together one-fourth pound butter, 
one teaspoonful cornstarch, one tablespoonful curry powder, one gill of the oyster 
water, one teaspoonful lemon juice, and one-half teaspoonful Tabasco sauce. Heat 
slowly in a saucepan and add gradually one gill of milk. Stir hard and add salt and 
cayenne. When smooth, add the oysters and cook for five minutes. 



17. Oysters a la Creole. — Two or three dozen oysters, one tablespoonful flour, two 
heaping tablespoonfuls butter, one-half cupful oyster liquor, one-half cupful cream 
or milk, two teaspoonfuls curry powder, two teaspoonfuls each grated onion and 
apple and chopped chutney, salt to taste, one-half cupful rice and one red pepper. 
Wash rice, throw it into saucepan of fast-boiling water, add one teaspoonful salt; 
boil the rice until tender, but do not let it break. Then drain it off through colander, 
wash well under stream of boiling water, and leave in colander over boiling water 
until needed. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion, apple, flour, and curry pow- 
der. Stir over fire until flour turns light-brown color, then add strained oyster liquor 
and milk or cream. Stir over fire until sauce boils five minutes. Add chutney, 
and season the mixture; add oysters and heat them in sauce until they plump up, 
but do not boil, as it makes them leathery and indigestible. Arrange some of the 
rice as flat border on hot dish. Mold rest of rice in cups, then turn out and arrange 
them on top of rice border. Decorate top of each little mound with thin strips of red 
pepper. Pile oysters and sauce in center of border, arranging four oysters, free from 
sauce, in center. Serve hot as possible. 

BROILED, ROASTED, AND BAKED. 

18. Broiled oysters on toast. — Broil lightly on the gridiron one pint of oysters. Place 
them on thin slices of buttered toast and pour over them a sauce made of a gill of 
cream, a teaspoonful of grated onion, a little lemon juice, salt, and a dash of Tabasco 
sauce. Serve hot and garnish with parsley. 

19. Broiled oysters au gratin. — Mix one scant teaspoonful salt in a shallow dish with 
two cups cracker crumbs, rolled fine. Have one cup melted butter in shallow basin. 
Drain one quart oysters, rolling well in clean napkin to make dry as possible. Take 
each oyster upon a fork (thrust through the tough muscle), dip it into crumbs, then 
into butter, then into crumbs again. Arrange them in wire broiler (having two wires 
quite close together) and broil over bright coal fire or under quick gas flame for about 
three minutes, turning broiler every five or ten seconds. When oysters are plump 
and juices run they are done. Serve instantly. 

20. Oysters a la reine. — Broil 12 large oysters on well greased broiler; place them 
on hot platter and cover with following sauce: Blend together two tablespoonfuls 
butter with two tablespoonfuls flour in saucepan over fire, then add two cupfuls hot 
milk and stir until boiling. Take yolks of four hard -cooked eggs and rub smooth 
with a little milk; add them to sauce, stir until smooth, then add seasoning of salt, 
pepper, and red pepper, and a wineglassful of sherry wine, and use. 

21. Old style roast. — Put one pint oysters in a deep tin. Season with salt, cayenne, 
and a teaspoonful of finely chopped onion. Place a thin slice of bacon on each oyster, 
sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top and bake. Garnish with parsley and 
serve with slices of lemon. 

22. Fancy roast. — Put one-half pint water in a saucepan with a lump of butter, 
salt, and pepper. When it comes to a boil drop in one pint of oysters. Have a 
few slices of bread-and-butter ready in a shallow dish and the instant the oysters 
boil up, pour over the bread. Garnish with parsley and serve instantly. 

23. Oysters bonnes-bouches . — Take 10 large oysters, trim them, wrap each in a 
thin piece of bacon, and fasten with a tiny skewer and broil over a clear fire. Cut 
out some slices of bread with a circular cutter, fry these in hot butter till a light 
brown color. When done on both sides, place the oysters on the rounds of bread, 
with bacon left on them. Serve hot, garnished with parsley. 

24. Pigs iyi blanket. — Drain 12 oysters, wipe dry and lay each oyster across a thin 
slice of bacon. Sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley; roll bacon around oyster, 
securing with a wooden toothpick. Brown slowly in oven and serve very hot. 



s 

25. Bacon and oysters. — Drain 12 selected oysters and wrap each in a thin slice of 
good bacon , using wooden toothpicks as skewers. Place in the oven and bake until 
a rich brown. Oven should not get too hot. 

26. Oysters a Vancienne. — Drain and put oysters into a baking dish. Sprinkle with 
salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Lay one or two strips very thinly cut bacon across 
top and bake in hot oven for four minutes. 

27. Angelo on horseback. — Use three large oysters to a person, wrap each oyster in 
a very thin slice of fat bacon, then arrange on steel skewers, three oysters on a skewer, 
with about one inch space between each oyster. Dip in batter and fry in deep fat 
from 8 to 10 inches. Serve hot (still impaled on skewers) on thin triangular slices of 
buttered toast from which the crusts were removed before toasting. 

Batter for above: One cup sifted flour, one egg well beaten, one-half cup milk, pinch 
of salt, saltspoonful of baking powder. 

28. Baked oysters. — Take 12 large oysters, two tablespoonfuls of cream, one glass of 
white wine, one teaspoonful of anchovy extract, a little grated cheese and grated lemon 
rind, one tablespoonful of butter, a few bread crumbs, seasoning of salt, pepper, and 
paprika. Put the butter into small saucepan with the cream, stir over the fire until 
thoroughly hot, then add the wine, anchovy extract, and lemon rind. Put half of the 
mixture into a small buttered baking dish and lay the oysters on it; sprinkle over 
the cheese and bread crumbs. Then pour the remainder of the sauce over; season 
with salt, pepper, and paprika; sprinkle some more bread crumbs and cheese on top, 
and bake in a brisk oven till nicely browned. The dish is then ready for serving. 

29. Baked oysters, hunter style. — Chop shallots, fresh mushrooms, chives, and parsley 
together, sprinkle over oysters, cover with bread crumbs, dot with butter, and bake 
in oven six minutes. , 

30. Oysters a la Kirkpatrick. — Place oysters on the deep shell in a deep pan. On 
each oyster one-fourth teaspoonful of catsup and Worcestershire, pepper to taste. 
Squeeze the juice of lemon on each, then cover with grated cheese; add a tiny piece 
of butter. Bake in hot oven 10 minutes. 

31. Oysters a la Drexel. — Drain one pint oysters, beat one whole egg, add one table- 
spoonful warm water, one tablespoonful chopped parsley, one tablespoonful chopped 
celery. Drain oysters and dip first in egg, then in bread crumbs, and lay in a baking 
dish, sprinkle with salt and red pepper, celery, and parsley, then other layers until 
full. Pour over two tablespoonfuls cream and one tablespoonful butter, cut in pieces. 
Bake in hot oven 20 minutes. 

32. Oyster loaf. — Cut a long loaf of bread into slices about two inches thick, a baker's 
long five-cent loaf will make six. Now trim off the crust, and make each piece square. 
Dig the crumb out of the center of each piece, leaving sides and bottom like a box; 
that is, make a square box out of each slice of bread. Brush each box over with melted 
butter and put in a quick oven until a light brown. Fill with creamed oysters and 
serve. 

33. Boxed oysters. — Take a crusty loaf of bread, like the Vienna, cut off the top 
and scoop out the heart, leaAing it like a box. Fill the space with oysters, seasoning 
with salt, pepper, and butter, sprinkling over them some bread crumbs. Put pieces 
of butter on top, then replace cover. Set loaf in dripping pan, and pour strained 
oyster liquor over it. Bake for 15 minutes in hot oven. Do not let loaf scorch or 
brown too much. Serve hot and cut as for slicing bread. Lemon juice or a little 
powdered mace is sometimes used for seasoning the oysters. 

DEVILED. 

34. Deviled oysters. — Take one pint oysters and chop fine. Put into saucepan with 
one teaspoonful of melted butter and a gill of cream. Season with cayenne and salt, 
and add one-half cupful of rolled cracker crumbs. Put on the stove and allow to sim- 



mer five minutes, stirring gently. Then put in a baking dish, sprinkle bread crumbs 
and bits of butter over top and bake until top is a rich golden brown. 

35. Deviled oysters. — Take one pint of oysters, add a little water and boil until 
plump. Remove tough muscles from the oysters and reserve the liquid in which the 
oysters were boiled. Melt three tablespoonfuls of butter, add three tablespoonsfuls 
of flour and stir until well blended; then pour on gradually, while stirring constantly 
gufficient of the oyster liquid to make one cupful. Bring to the boiling point, and 
season with one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of mustard, a few 
grains of cayenne and one teaspoonful of lemon juice. Add the oysters, and as soon 
as heated add the yolk of one egg and one teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley. 

PANNED. 

36. Panned oysters. — Take one pint oysters. Put two tablespoonfuls butter into a 
saucepan and when hot, add the oysters. Cook until the edges begin to curl, then 
add one gill cream, one tablespoonful sherry, salt and cayenne. 

37. Panned oysters. — Put one tablespoonful butter in a cover saucepan with salt and 
pepper to taste; when hot add one pint of washed and drained oysters, cover closely 
and shake the pan to keep them from sticking. Cook about three minutes or until 
plump. Serve on toasted bread or crackers. 

38. Panned oysters. — One pint oysters; one-half cup butter; two egg yolks; one-half 
cup of milk; one-half tablespoonful cornstarch. Wash the oysters and drain. Brown 
the butter and cook oysters in the butter and add milk and cornstarch. Mix all 
together and boil; when creamy add oysters and boil one minute and pour over slices 
of hot toast. 

39 . Oyster 'pan roast on toast. — Put oysters in saucepan and add salt and pepper. Let 
come to a boil until nicely poached ; add some fresh butter and lay oysters on toast. 
Pour some of the broth over and sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

FRIED. 

40. Fried oysters. — Take one pint large oysters and cover with rolled cracker crumbs 
seasoned with salt and pepper. Let them stand half an hour and then roll again in 
meal. Fry brown in deep olive oil, lard, or butter. 

41. Fried oysters. — Select the largest oysters, rinse quickly and lay carefully on a 
colander to drain. Dry quickly and gently with a soft cloth, handling as little as 
possible. Take a steel fork and catch it in the eye of the oyster, dip in egg and then 
in fine cracker dust back and forth, being careful not to use too much cracker dust, 
as that tends to disguise the flavor of the oyster. Use two eggs for a dozen and a half 
of oysters. Beat them up together, add a pinch of salt and a tablespoonful of boiling 
water. Have ready a frying pan, not too deep, with plenty of smoHng-hot olive oil 
or sweet lard to which add a little butter to aid in making the oysters crisp and brown. 
Put in only enough oysters to cover the bottom, without crowding. When brown on 
one side turn over. 

42. Philadelphia fry. — Take one pint large oysters, dry and dip in a rich mayonnaise 
dressing. Dip them in cracker crumbs and then again in the dressing, rolling them 
a second time in the cracker crumbs. Fry brown in deep olive oil, lard, or butter. 
Do not handle the oysters more than you have to and be sure to have your fat very hot. 

43. Fried oysters supreme. — Mix thoroughly one-half cup flour, one-half cup milk, 
one-half cup catsup, and one-half teaspoonful salt. Dip one pint oysters into mixture, 
then roll them in cracker dust. Fry in sweet, fresh lard until a dark brown. Serve 
very hot. 

44. Veal-oyster frizee, — Cut two pounds of tender veal (from shoulder or leg) into 
small, thin pieces about 3 inches square. Fry slowly to crisp brown in lard or beef 
drippings. When nearly done add one pint oysters with their liquor; thicken with 



10 

one tablespoonful flour which has been rubbed to smooth paste with a little cold water. 
Season with one teaspoonful salt and one-half teaspoonful pepper. Cook until edges 
of oysters curl. Serve in deep dish or upon toast points. 

GRILLED. 

45. Grilled oysters. — Take one pint large oysters. Put a large piece of butter into a 
hot pan and when it smokes drop in the oysters, a few at a time. When the oysters 
are browned remove to a hot dish and pour over them a sauce made of melted butter 
thickened with flour. Season with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne, and 
serve on toast. Garnish with parsley. 

46. Browned oysters. — Scald one pint oysters in one-half pint water; drain and save 
the water. Put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan and brown with an equal 
quantity of flour. When brown, add the oyster water and one-half cupful chopped 
celery and allow to boil five minutes, stirring constantly. As soon as it thickens add 
the oysters. Season with salt and cayenne. Do not allow the oysters to cook longer 
than is necessary to heat them. 

PIES AND PATES. 

47. Oyster potpie. — Put one pint oysters, with cup of water, into saucepan. Put 
on stove and heat slowly, adding one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of 
sherry, salt, and cayenne. Thicken with a little flour and allow to cook six minutes, 
stirring gently. Have ready light biscuit dough, cut into small squares, drop them in 
and boil until they are cooked through. If preferred, this dish may be baked in the 
oven, with a top crust. 

48. Oyster pie. — Take one pint oysters. Line a baking dish with paste and put in 
it the oysters, together with a small lump of butter and a teaspoonful of very finely 
chopped bacon. Season with salt and pepper, put on a top crust, and bake three- 
fourths of an hour. 

49. Yankee oyster pie. — Put one pint oysters, with their liquor, into deep baking 
dish; add one and one-half tablespoonfuls butter, and heat enough to melt butter. 
Stir in one tablespoonful cornstarch dissolved in one-half cup cold water, salt and 
pepper to season, and a dash of cayenne, also one tablespoonful sherry. Have ready 
a rather rich biscuit dough. Pat to half-inch thickness the size of baking dish and lay 
on top of oysters. Bake until crust is done and lightly browned. (A tablespoonful of 
lemon juice may be used in place of sherry, if preferred.) 

50. Oyster and chicken pie. — Parboil a chicken, cut up into small pieces, and place in 
a deep baking dish. Over this place one pint oysters. Add two hard-boiled eggs cut 
into small pieces, a tablespoonful of butter, some celery chopped fine, salt, and cayenne. 
Moisten with flour and a gill of milk, put a puff paste on top, and bake about 40 
minutes in a moderate oven. 

51. Beefsteak and oyster pie. — Take pint of oysters and 2 pounds round steak, cut 
about an inch thick. Cut into strips 2% inches wide. Mix on a plate two table- 
spoonfuls flour, a heaping teaspoonful mixed herbs, and the same of salt and half the 
amount of pepper. Dip each piece of steak in this, place an oyster on one end and roll 
up loosely; place in the bottom of a baking dish and pile up well toward the center. 
Pack the rolls loosely so the gravy can flow through. Add the oyster liquor and enough 
stock nearly to cover the meat, and dot with bits of butter. Cover with a flaky crust 
and bake for an hour and a half in a slow oven. 

52. Beef paste with oysters. — Make a good beef hash and season it highly, moistening 
it with gravy. Lay it in a greased baking pan in alternate layers with large oysters; 
cover with a biscuit crust, putting a funnel in the middle to carry off the steam, and 
bake briskly. 

53. Oyster dumplings. — Take a pint of oysters and put over them some lemon juice, 
salt and pepper, then put the dish aside in some cool place while you make the pastry. 



11 

Roll nice puff paste very thin and cut in squares, with a pastry wheel, at least 4 
nches square. Brush them over with a beaten egg (both yolk and white). Place 
upon each square three or four oysters and put a small piece of butter over them. 
Bring the four corners of the paste together and fasten with clean wooden toothpicks. 
Bake brown in a biscuit pan. Remove picks before serving. 

54. Oyster shortcake. — Make a good shortcake dough, using two cupfuls sifted flour, 
two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half teaspoonful salt, two tablespoonfuls 
butter, one well-beaten egg, and one-half cupful milk. Spread on greased biscuit 
tin and bake in hot oven. Split and spread with butter. For the filling: Scald one 
quart oysters in their liquor, skim, remove oysters and keep hot. Strain broth and 
return one cupful of it to saucepan. Mix together with two tablespoonfuls butter 
and one tablespoonful flour, stir into boiling liquor and season to taste with salt, pepper, 
and celery salt. Let this just come to boiling point, then add three tablespoonfuls 
cream and the oysters. Stir a moment until well heated, then fill into shortcake and 
serve at once. 

55. Oyster pdtes. — Take one quart oysters and chop fine. Make one-half pint rich 
drawn butter seasoned with salt and cayenne. Stir in the oysters and allow to boil 
five minutes. Pour into pastry shapes baked in pate" pans, put in the oven and cook 
two minutes. Serve immediately. 

56. Pdte a la princesse. — Boil one pint oysters three minutes in one cup water, 
adding one gill of white wine. Drain and put in six pate shells lightly spread with 
anchovy paste. In a saucepan mix one tablespoonful each butter and flour, one- 
half gill cream, and the oyster liquor. Season with salt, cayenne, and grated nutmeg. 
Boil eight minutes, stirring continually. Add yolk of one egg and stir briskly two 
minutes. Pour this sauce over the oysters in the pate shells, sprinkle grated cheese 
over the top and bake five minutes. 

57. Oyster tartlets. — Roll out a piece of pastry very thin, cut into rounds, put 
each in a buttered gem pan, lay in some rice on a bit of white paper to prevent the 
pastry rising and losing its shape, bake in a hot oven till a pale yellow color. Remove 
the rice and cool the cases. Scald 16 oysters in a little water. Fry one small chopped 
onion in two tablespoonfuls of hot butter, add one-half teaspoonful of curry powder, 
one-half teaspoonful of flour, the liquid in which the oysters were scalded, a little 
salt, pepper, paprika, and a few drops of lemon juice. Add as much cream as is neces- 
sary to make a smooth sauce, then add one well-boiled carrot, cut into small pieces 
and mix. Fill the cases with this mixture, place two oysters on top of each, and return 
to the oven to heat through. 

FRITTERS, ETC. 

58. Oyster fritters. — Drain one pint oysters and boil liquor. Skim, and to one cupful 
(if there is not enough liquor, add enough cold water to make one cupful) add one 
cupful milk, two well-beaten eggs, one-fourth teaspoonful salt, one-eighth teaspoonful 
pepper, and flour enough to make a rather stiff batter. Have ready kettle of smoking 
hot fat. Take up batter by spoonfuls, taking one oyster each time and drop carefully 
into the fat. Fry to golden brown and drain upon brown paper laid into a wire basket. 

59. Oyster f niters. — Chop oysters fine, add two eggs, one cup milk, two cups flour, 
salt and pepper to taste. Add one teaspoon baking powder to flour while dry . Beat 
all well and fry like doughnuts. Fine. 

60. Oysters in batter. — Take one pint oysters. Make a batter of beaten eggs, flour, 
salt and cayenne. Dip the oysters in this, and drop them into a frying pan containing 
two tablespoonfuls of butter, smoking hot. Raise a ladelful of the batter with each 
oyster. As the butter in the pan is used up, keep adding to it until all the oysters 
are cooked. 

61. Oysters a la Juive. — Twelve large oysters, half a cupful of flour, one egg, one 
tablespoonful of olive oil, one tableepoonful of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and fat 



12 

for frying. Sift the flour into a basin, add a pinch of salt, stir in the yolk of the egg, 
half of the oil, and sufficient tepid water to form a batter about as thick as double 
cream. Allow the batter to stand for about an hour. Beat up the white of the egg 
to a stiff froth, and mingle with the batter just before using same. Wash the oysters, 
put them on a cloth to drain, place them on a plate, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle 
over a little finely chopped parsley, the lemon juice, and the remainder of the oil. 
Mix carefully. Dip each oyster into the batter, and fry a golden color in plenty of 
smoking hot fat. Serve at once garnished with parsley and quartered lemons. 

SCALLOPED. 

62. Scalloped oysters. — Take one pint oysters. Dip in cracker crumbs seasoned with 
salt and pepper. Take two tablespoonfuls cracker crumbs and mix with the same 
quantity of melted butter. Grease a shallow baking dish and fill with cracker crumbs 
and oysters in alternate layers. Pour in two tablespoonfuls of water and sprinkle 
bread crumbs and bits of butter over top. Bake 30 minutes in a hot oven. 

63. Scalloped oysters. — Parboil six potatoes, slice, butter baking dish; put layer of 
cracker crumbs on bottom, then a layer of potatoes and layer of oysters. Season with 
salt, pepper, parsley, and bits of butter, then another of cracker crumbs, potatoes, 
eight oysters, and so on, until dish is full, the top layer to be crumbs. Moisten well 
with milk and bake 30 minutes. 

64. Scalloped oysters. — One quart oysters, put in layers in baking dish, alternating 
with dry bread or cracker crumbs, and season to taste. When dish is filled add 
strained oyster liquor and sufficient milk to moisten. Cover top with crumbs and 
tablespoonful butter in bits. Bake one-half hour in hot oven. 

WITH POTATOES. 

65. Oyster croquettes. — Take the hard ends of one pint oysters, scald and chop fine, 
and add an equal weight of potatoes rubbed through a colander. Add a tablespoonful 
butter, a teaspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful cayenne, the same of mace, and one- 
half gill cream. Make up into small rolls, dip in egg and rolled cracker crumbs, and 
fry in deep lard. The parts of the oysters left over may be used for soup or stew. 

66. Oysters casino. — Braize bacon, shallots, and green peppers in Burgundy. Steam 
oysters a little, put above preparation over each oyster, and cover with mashed pota- 
toes, a dash of paprika, and cheese. Bake in hot oven three minutes. 

67. Oyster peacemakers. — Four or five large potatoes, one egg, white bread crumbs, 
two dozen large oysters, one heaping tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful flour, 
one-half cupful cream, one-half cupful oyster liquor, seasoning of salt and pepper, 
and six shrimps for each "peacemaker." Wash and peel the potatoes, then re wash 
and trim them to even-sized oval shapes. Scoop out the centers, so as to leave a 
neat case. Parboil these cases until the potato is just getting tender, but do not 
completely cook them on any account. Take them out of the water, dry on soft 
cloth, brush each over with beaten egg, and roll in bread crumbs. Bake this in a 
quick oven until crumbs are a light brown; or, if in haste, the potatoes may be fried 
in smoking hot fat. To make filling: Blend the butter and flour in saucepan, add 
the oyster liquor and cream, stir until it boils, then add bread crumbs sufficient to 
make sauce of good creamy consistency. Then season mixture with great care. 
Cut oysters in halves, beat without boiling them in sauce, then pile up in potato 
cases. Put six shrimps on top of each and serve the " peacemakers" very hot, gar- 
nished with parsley. 

68. Oyster balls. — Stew one quart oysters and chop fine. Take six large potatoes, 
boil and mash them, and rub through a sieve. Then add one-half cupful thick cream, 
yolks of four eggs, the oysters, one tablespoonful chopped parsley, and seasoning of 
salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. When well mixed, form into small balls, then 
flour them, and fry in smoking hot fat. Drain and serve hot. 



13 

69. Oyster toddle. — Oyster toddle is a kind of chowder. Chop a quarter of a pound 
of fat salt pork and cook slowly until well dried out. Add two cupfuls of sliced raw 
potatoes, cover and cook in the fat until very tender. Pour in two cupfuls hot milk 
and cook five minutes. Thicken with one teaspoonful flour worked into one tea- 
spoonful butter. Add three cupfuls washed oysters, salt and pepper to taste ; remove 
from fire as soon as oysters rufHe. Serve hot with crackers. 

70. Surprise oysters. — Cook four medium size potatoes until done, mash and season 
with salt, pepper, butter, and a little parsley. Scald a dozen oysters in their liquor, 
then drain. Take up enough potato when rolled to be about the size of an egg, make 
cavity in one end, insert oyster, fill in cavity, dip in beaten egg, roll in cracker crumbs, 
and fry in deep fat until a golden brown. Serve while hot. This is nourishing and 
inexpensive. 

71. Oyster paddies. — One pint of mashed potatoes, add one beaten egg and a little 
minced onion, form into cakes, split cakes with sharp knife, lay two or three oysters 
on lower part, and replace top. Bake in moderately hot oven until paddies are 
brown, garnish with parsley. 

72. Oyster-potato pie. — Boil about one dozen medium-sized potatoes. Mash with 
butter and liquor from oysters. Take a baking dish and place a layer of mashed 
potatoes and then a layer of oysters. Sprinkle with a little finely chopped parsley 
and season with salt and pepper. Repeat until the dish is filled, letting the potatoes 
be on top. Then place in hot oven for a few minutes to brown. This recipe requires 
about 50 oysters. 

WITH OTHER VEGETABLES. 

73. Oysters with tomatoes. — Melt two tablespoonfuls butter, add slice onion, and cook 
until brown. Add cup stewed tomatoes, when thickened, add a pint of drained 
oysters, and cook until edges curl. Add a drop of Tabasco sauce, one-half teaspoonful 
salt, and tablespoonful chopped parsley. Serve on toast. 

74. Oysters with onions. — Peel and cut eight small onions into dice, and fry in two 
tablespoonfuls of hot butter until a golden color. Add 60 oysters and their liquor, 
one teaspoonful finely chopped parsley, one teaspoonful lemon juice, and seasoning 
of salt, pepper, and red pepper. As soon as edges of oysters begin to curl, pour into 
hot tureen, and serve at once. 

75. Oyster savory with rice. — Take one green pepper, one peeled onion, one-third 
cup butter, three-fourths cup rice, two and one-half cups stock, four tomatoes peeled 
and seeded, one teaspoonful salt, one pint or one quart of oysters. 

Plunge the pepper in boiling water, and with a towel remove the thin skin. Chop 
the pepper and onion fine, then cook in the butter until yellow. Put the rice in a 
casserole with the onion, pepper, stock, tomatoes, and salt, and stir occasionally until 
the rice is nearly tender. The cooking should be done in a moderate oven. Stir the 
oysters into the rice in the casserole and let cook about 15 minutes. Half a dozen 
slices of bacon may be used instead of the butter, if desired. 

76. Oysters with mushrooms. — One cup hot milk, one teaspoonful onion juice, one 
tablespoonful butter, one-half cup mushrooms, salt and pepper, two tablespoonfuls 
parsley, one tablespoonful flour, one pint of oysters. 

Cook the flour in one-half the butter and add to the hot milk. Boil until creamy 
and add seasoning, onion juice, parsley, chopped fine, and remainder of butter. If 
canned mushrooms are used, add them to this mixture and set over hot water 10 min- 
utes. If fresh, wash in cold water, drain, and simmer for 10 minutes in the cream 
sauce. Just before serving add oysters which have been washed and drained. 
When oysters curl, it is ready. Care should be taken not to scorch sauce. 

77. Baked oyster mushroom. — Take quart of oysters, one-half can of mushrooms, 
cup of rich milk, one well-beaten egg, and allow butter, pepper, salt, and cracker 
crumbs, as desired. Place a layer of oysters in baking dish, season with pepper and 
salt, sprinkle over this chopped mushrooms, cover with cracker crumbs, moisten with 



14 

milk, and dot with butter. Proceed in this manner until dish is filled; the last layer 
should be moistened with milk in which the egg is beaten. Bake in a moderate oven 
30 minutes. 

78. Oysters and spaghetti. — Take two cups of cooked spaghetti, pint of oysters, cup 
of milk, two tablespoonfuls of flour creamed with two tablespoonfuls of butter, one- 
fourth can of pimentoes, one-fourth cupful of grated cheese. Alternately place layers 
of spaghetti and pimentoes and layers of oysters in baking dish; over the top sprinkle 
grated cheese and enough cracker crumbs to make brown nicely. Pour over all one 
cup of warmed milk to which has been added the butter and flour. Bake one-half 
hour. 

WITH EGGS. 

79. Oyster omelet. — Stew one dozen oysters in a very little water; roll two or three 
lumps of butter, size of butternuts, in flour, put them in the stew and let it come 
to a boil; season with pepper and salt. Take out the oysters and chop them, putting 
them back, and if the sauce is not quite thick enough add a little flour. Beat four 
eggs very light and add two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream. Fry in well-buttered 
frying pan; when done remove to a hot platter and pour the oyster sauce over the 
omelet. Serve hot. 

80. Oyster scramble. — Take 20 or 30 oysters, drain well, and chop fine, seasoning 
with salt and pepper; then beat well six eggs, and three tablespoons of cream, and 
one-half cupful of forked bread. Melt a tablespoonful of butter in a frying pan, then 
put in the egg, cream, and bread; when beginning to cook stir in the oysters and 
scramble well. 

81. Small oyster souffles. — Take 12 oysters, add a little water, and bring to a boil. 
Then remove from fire and chop rather coarsely. Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter 
in a saucepan, add one tablespoonful of flour, and stir over the fire for a minute; add 
three-fourths of a cupful of hot milk, stir well, season with salt and red pepper, cook 
for 10 minutes and strain. Now add the chopped oysters, reheat, and stir in very 
gradually two yolks of eggs; stir over the fire until the eggs begin to set. Remove 
the saucepan from the fire, beat up three whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix gently 
with the other ingredients. Fill ramekins or other small fireproof dishes with this 
preparation, sprinkle a few fried bread crumbs on top of each and a little melted 
butter. Then bake in a moderate oven for 12 minutes or until well browned. 

82. Oysters a la poulette. — Take two dozen oysters, yolks of two eggs, two table- 
spoonfuls butter, one tablespoonful lemon juice, one cupful oyster juice, two table- 
spoonfuls flour, one tablespoonful finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and celery salt 
to taste. A few drops of onion juice may be added. Scald oysters to the "cockling " 
point in their own liquor. Drain and save liquor. Keep oysters and strained liquor 
hot. Blend butter and flour in saucepan over fire; when smooth add cream and 
oyster liquor, and stir constantly until thick. Remove saucepan from fire, and add 
the beaten yolks of eggs. Return to fire and cook until it thickens, but do not allow 
it to boil. Add the seasonings and oysters, and serve at once with garnish of parsley 
and mushrooms. 

83. Oyster cake. — Take one pint oysters, cut each in two and put in saucepan with 
a little water. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper, grated nutmeg, strained juice 
of one lemon, two tablespoonfuls of fine bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of meat extract, 
and one dessertspoonful of vinegar. Let all come to a boil, then put aside, and stir 
in two well-beaten eggs, mix all well together with two tablespoonfuls of thick cream. 
Butter a plain mold, dusting the sides with fine bread crumbs; put in the mixture. 
Cover the mold with a well-greased paper, and steam steadily for one and a half hours; 
then turn out carefully and serve with white sauce. 

84. Oyster cutlets. — Large oysters are preferable for this receipt. Take one-half 
pound of lean veal and an equal quantity of oysters. First chop them finely, and 
then pound them together in a mortar or a basin, add one teaspoonful of chopped 



15 

suet, four tablespoonfuls of fine bread crumbs, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and 
seasoning of salt, pepper, and powdered rice. Mix them thoroughly and make it up 
in the form of small cutlets. Brush them over with well-beaten egg, tos6 in fine 
bread crumbs and fry in plenty of smoking hot fat. Serve hot, garnished with sprigs 
of parsley. 

85. Oyster sausages. — Take two dozen oysters and rinse well. Chop them very 
finely and mix with six tablespoonfuls of fine bread crumbs, three ounces of chopped 
euet, and a little salt, pepper, paprika, a grate of nutmeg, a little ground mace, and 
half a pound of sausage meat. Mix the whole well together, adding the yolks of 
two eggs. Put in a cool place for two or three hours to get firm. Flour the hands 
and make up into sausages or cakes, flour, and fry in hot butter or lard. If preferred, 
chey can be thrown into boiling water for three or four minutes, drained, left to get 
cold, then brushed over with well-beaten egg and rolled in bread crumbs and lightly 
broiled. 

86. Oyster rarebit. — Take one cup oysters, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one-half 
pound of cheese, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne, two eggs, six 
slices of toast. Parboil the oysters to remove the tough muscle. Drain and reserve the 
liquor. Melt the butter, add cheese, salt, and cayenne, beat the eggs, add the oyster 
liquor, stir it into the melted cheese, butter, etc. Add oysters and serve on hot toast. 

87. Oysters on toast. — One pint of oysters, chop fine and season with salt, cayenne, 
and nutmeg. Melt one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan and stir in the minced 
oysters. In a separate dish beat up the yolks of two eggs with one gill of cream and 
stir in with the oysters. As soon as the eggs set, serve on slices of buttered toast 
garnished with parsley. 

ON TOAST. 

88. Oyster toast. — Make thin slices of toast, butter and spread with anchovy paste. 
Boil one pint oysters two minutes in one-half pint water, drain, season with salt, 
pepper and French mustard, chop fine and spread on the toast. Sprinkle with rolled 
cracker crumbs, butter lightly, and bake until golden brown on top. 

89. Oyster canapes.— For six people cut three to four oysters in pieces. Put two 
tablespoonfuls butter into saucepan and when melted add one cupful cream. Let 
come to a scald, add oysters and one heaping tablespoonful fine bread crumbs, and 
season with salt and pepper. Have ready oblong pieces of bread cut one-quarter of 
an inch thick and fried golden brown in hot butter. Place in bottom of hot dish, 
and pour the oyster mixture over them. 

90. Oysters a la poUe. — Drain one pint oysters and heat liquor in saucepan. Skim 
and season with one-fourth teaspoonful salt, one-eighth teaspoonful pepper and two 
teaspoonfuls butter. Toast eight square soda crackers and lay upon enameled baking 
dish, moistening them with the hot oyster juice. Lay three oysters upon each cracker. 
Dot with bits of butter, sprinkle with a very little pepper and three or four drops 
lemon juice on each oyster. Set in hot oven for 12 minutes. Slip out on hot platter 
and serve at once. 

STUFFING AND SANDWICH FILLING. 

91. Oyster stuffing. — (For turkey or goose.) Take one pint oysters, melt one-fourth 
cup of butter and mix with one and one-half cups of cracker crumbs, two teaspoonfuls 
of lemon juice, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper. 
Roll each oyster in the buttered crumbs, etc., and then fill the turkey or goose. The 
oysters may be chopped up coarsely and mixed with the crumbs if desired. For a 
large fowl it will be necessary to increase the proportions of this recipe to obtain a 
sufficient amount of stuffing. 

92. Oyster dressing for turkey.- — Pour boiling water over four quarts of stale bread 
crumbs. Let steam, then drain off. Add two well beaten eggs, four tablespoonfuls 
of butter, salt, pepper, then add one quart of oysters. Season with sage if desired. 



16 

93. Oyster filling fgr scmdwiches. — Chop quart oysters fine; season with salt, pepper 
and nutmeg; add one-half cup melted butter, one-half cup cream; whites of three 
eggs, beaten, and eight powdered crackers. Cook until smooth paste. Set away to 
cool; then cut in thin slices and spread between bread. 

SALAD. 

94. Oyster salad. — Let 50 oysters come just to a boil in their own liquor, skim them 
out and season with three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a little salt and pepper. Cut 
enough celery to make a pint, using only the tender part; when ready to serve mix 
well with the oysters. Have ready a little more than half a pint of mayonnaise dress- 
ing; add part of this to the oysters and celery. Arrange in a salad dish, pour over 
the remainder of dressing, garnish with white celery leaves. 

95. Oyster salad. — One cupful chopped oysters, five hard cooked eggs, one raw egg, 
six rolled crackers, one level teaspoonful white pepper, one teaspoonful salt, one 
teaspoonful mustard, one heaping teaspoonful butter and one-half cupful vinegar. 
Put the liquor from the oysters in small saucepan, add salt, pepper, mustard, butter, 
egg, and vinegar, and cook until mixture begins to thicken. Pour over the oysters, 
add rolled crackers, and hard cooked eggs rubbed through a sieve. Serve cold. 

96. Oyster mayonnaise. — Scald twenty oysters; let them stand for five minutes; then 
lay them on a clean cloth to drain and cool. Mix them with some mayonnaise sauce 
and crisp lettuce or endive leaves. Dish up neatly in a small salad bowl, cover the 
whole with mayonnaise, and garnish with anchovy filets and hard boiled eggs cut 
into quarters. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

97. Oyster creams. — Pound and rub through a sieve one dozen large oysters; mix 
with seven tablespoonfuls of thick cream; season with salt, pepper, and paprika. 
Add to this one tablespoonful of powdered gelatine which has previously been dis- 
solved in seven tablespoonfuls of water. Fill small wet molds half full of aspic jelly, 
embedding one oyster in each. When set, fill up with oyster cream. Turn out 
carefully when firm. 

98. Spiced oysters. — Heat quart of oysters in their own liquor until plump. Skim 
out the oysters and add one-half cupful pure tarragon or malt vinegar, one teaspoonful 
salt, eight cloves, eight peppercorns, two blades of mace, one red-pepper pod, to hot 
oyster liquor. Simmer five or six minutes, skim and pour over oysters; when cold 
seal in glass jars. These may be kept in a cool place for two or three weeks. 

99. Jellied oysters. — Make an unsweetened lemon jelly and put into a mold to the 
depth of about an inch. When firm place a small bowl filled with ice water in the center 
of the mold. Pour sufficient jelly in to fill the mold and allow this to harden. Then 
replace the ice water with hot water and remove bowl. Fill the space with oysters 
which have been cooked in their own liquor and pour over sufficient jelly to hold 
them in place. At serving time turn out, garnish with watercress and lemon slices. 
Serve with mayonnaise. 

100. Stuffed oysters in shells. — Chop together three dozen oysters (after having 
washed them and freed them from fine pieces of shell), one onion, one toe of garlic, 
two hard-boiled eggs, and two slices of stale bread that have been first soaked in water 
and squeezed dry. Season highly with salt, pepper, alspice, thyme, hot pepper, and 
parsley. Add butter to season, about two tablespoonfuls or more. Have the oyster 
shells thoroughly washed, fill the shells with mixture, sprinkle with cracker crumbs 
and perhaps a little butter, and bake ten or fifteen minutes, but not long enough to 
dry out. The addition of chopped mushrooms makes this extra fine. If dry mush- 
rooms are used, they should be soaked, in a cupful of water for about an hour before 
using. 

WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1916 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
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